Might As Well Dance
by Lauren Eli
Summary: Jake convinces her friends to go on an impromptu vacation.
1. Finals Week

Might As Well Dance

  


**Thanks:** The amazing beta reader Sue. She pointed out so many things I missed and helped me choose the appropriate ending.  


* * *

  
    Jake glanced at the clock. 11:11. Only five more minutes to cram everything in before the test. As her stomach growled, she pressed her arm into her abdomen.   
  
    _How am I supposed to take a test when I'm this hungry? I'm going to kill Hamilton._   
  
    The lack of breakfast was mainly Hamilton's fault. He was supposed to wake her up. On time. But she should have known by now that on time to Hamilton meant 20 minutes later than to the rest of the world. So she didn't have time for breakfast that morning, she barely had time to get dressed and gather her books together while still making it to class on time.   
  
    "Hey." Hamilton plopped down next to her, appearing as tired as she was hungry.   
  
    "You know, I'm mad at you."   
  
    "What did I do now?" He leaned his arm on his desk, resting his head in his hand, trying desperately to keep his eyes open when it felt extremely relaxing to close them.   
  
    "Thanks to you, I didn't get to eat this morning. Now I'm going to fail this test because I'm too starved to concentrate." She went back to studying the notes spread over her desk.   
  
    "Oh shit, we have a test in here today."   
  
    All she could do was glance at him and roll her eyes; it was so like him to forget.   
  
    He leaned in closer to her, remembering the questions he had forgotten to ask her the night before. "Ok Quick - explain to me why diatomic oxygen drawn in the Lewis Structure appears to have its valence electrons in an excited state?"   
  
    "First Hamilton, that's like..." she sighed, struggling to find her thought, "an oxymoron. You can't quickly explain anything in Chemistry."   
  
    "Jake, you managed to masquerade as a boy for three years," he whispered, "And you can't do a simple thing like explain chemistry to me?"   
  
    "I don't know. Have you taken your morning dose of Ritalin so you will be able to sit through my explanation?"   
  
    "Very funny."   
  
    Taking a deep breath, she began, "Ok, so if you use the Molecular Orbital Diagram then you find out that the last two electrons aren't paired like they are drawn in the Linear Model..."   
  
    He nodded like he understood what she was saying...he was trying, wasn't that the important thing? But he had started to tune the words out, and was, instead, focusing on how animated she was that morning. Her hands flying as she tried to explain, her messy hand writing as she drew the structural formula, the way her eyes squinted when she asked him a question.   
  
    "...They have to follow Hunds' Law - remember?"   
  
    Like now...She was asking a question, but he hadn't been paying attention. He tried to shuffle back in his memory and remember what she had said.   
  
    "Yeah?" He said uncertainly, hoping that was the answer she was looking for.   
  
    She looked at him doubtingly, but reluctantly accepted his answer and continued. She talked quickly before tests. He tried to remind himself to ask her before the five minutes prior to the actual test, but he could never really concentrate on AP Chemistry. He had only taken it because he knew she would take it and he wanted more opportunities to be with her...more opportunities to 'study' together. But unfortunately, those study sessions ended after the second test. The one he failed and she had barely made a C on.   
  
    _Ok, so making out is a little higher on my priority list than chemistry, big deal! Like in real life I'm ever going to need to know why chlorine has a higher ionization energy than sulfur._   
  
    Besides, whatever he couldn't learn, he could always program into his calculator. But apparently Jake thought she would need to know this stuff to further her career possibilities; so their studying had been limited to phone only. That pretty much took away the entire reason he signed up for the class.   
  
    _Yeah, I like to have homework that I don't understand, tests that I usually fail, and a class that I feel utterly stupid in._   
  
    He sighed, this was becoming a rarity...being with her. Their class schedule was diverging. Both were interested in different things which lead to being placed in opposite classes.   
  
    _Ok, she's interested in doing well in school and I'm interested in slacking off. Those courses don't mix often._   
  
    "Jake?"   
  
    Looking up at him, she stopped her chemistry rambling which had long ago ceased to make sense to Hamilton.   
  
    "Ok - deep breath." He breathed in deeply and slowly exhaled to show its calming effects. Jake closed her eyes and followed his example.   
  
    "You're doing that thing where you talk incredibly fast, so I can't understand a word you say, ultimately making me realize that I am, once again, going to fail another test."   
  
    "Need me to talk slower?" She tried to suppress her smile.   
  
    "Please."   
  


* * *

  
    "So how have your finals been?" Jake set her tray down and joined the group.   
  
    Scout groaned and laid his head on the cafeteria table. Turning to Will, Jake raised her eyebrows, glancing questioningly at Scout.   
  
    "Not a good subject," Will explained.   
  
    "I think I failed Trig." Scout's muffled voice rose from the table.   
  
    "Hey, you only had to make an 84 on the final to keep a C."   
  
    Raising his head, Scout squinted at Will, "Easy for you to say." He placed his head back down while mumbling something about Will and geniuses, with a few expletives thrown in for accentuation purposes. Will and Jake both glanced at each other, trying not to laugh.   
  
    "Well, I've got something that will cheer you up." Jake said nonchalantly, focusing on her apple as she took a bite of it.   
  
    "What?" This seemed to break Scout's intense inspection of the table from two inches away - he glanced at Jake.   
  
    As she motioned to her full mouth, she leaned back in her seat, mumbling, "M shoing."   
  
    Scout waited impatiently while Jake chewed at a painfully slow pace. It was so easy to torture him. "Fine! Don't tell me." He went back to sleeping his trig-failing worries away.   
  
    "Touchy today, aren't we?" Folding her arms on the table in front of her, she leaned in, "So... where are we going for Spring Break, boys?"   
  
    "Now that I'm going to be grounded for my grades - nowhere."   
  
    Will shrugged his consent to the fact that he would also be residing at Rawley for another Spring Break.   
  
    "Well, you better hide those grades from your parents because, as of now, you are going are going skiing with Jake Pratt and Hamilton Flemming."   
  
    "How are you going to pull that off?"   
  
    "It's quite simple really," smiling at her ingenuity, "My mom owns this place in Vermont and I currently have a key." She jangled her key ring in front of them. "Hamilton's parents think that he is going with me, 'Jake', to New York. My 'mother', a.k.a. me, sent a confirming e-mail that she will be there to watch over us."   
  
    Will and Scout nodded appreciatively.   
  
    "Brilliant, I know," she smiled teasingly at them, "Ok, so, I could manipulate a letter from Rawley Boys stating that you two were going on a school trip or...an out-of-state rowing meet - something along those lines. Or..." she stated in a bored manner, "you could opt to tell them the truth."   
  
    They seemed to consider what she had just proposed to them, neither speaking for a few moments.   
  
    "Of course," she laughed at the situation, "Omitting the part about -" lowering her voice and leaning in closer, "...the part about your friend, the cross-dressing girl who attends Rawley Boys inviting you to an entirely parent-free week."   
  
    Will and Scout only had to glance at each other to confirm what they wanted to do.   
  
    "Lie."   
  
    "Hacking option #1, please." They answered simultaneously.   
  
    "It's settled then." Slumping back in her seat contentedly, she resumed eating her apple.   
  


* * *

  
    "Ah, another Spring Break. Only one more quarter left until we are seniors!" Hamilton stared in front of him, the trance known as Senioritis was pulling him in.   
  
    "Wow - seniors." Jake muttered sarcastically as she quizzed herself over Hamlet, The Illiad, Oedipus - all the books she didn't understand the first time around, so she didn't believe they would miraculously make sense the second time.   
  
    "Oh come on - being seniors..." he looked at the ceiling, trying to find the correct words to convey the magnitude, but soon concluded that he was no Will. "Being seniors is awesome!"   
  
    "Why? It's basically the same as being a junior, except you are a year older and one year closer to going to college - trust me on this one, freedom isn't always as fun as it sounds. And - Oh yeah - you can beat up juniors, I'm sure that's the part you're looking forward to."   
  
    "It will be our last year, we will rule the school!" He saw her doubtful smirk, "...ok, maybe not rule, but definitely have a superior quality to us."   
  
    She shook her head and laughed at his excitement.   
  
    "And we get to skip fourth quarter finals," adding to the list of what would make his last year great.   
  
    "Ham," she stated softly as to not hurt his feelings, "you do know that you only get to skip finals if you have an 85 or above in the class, right?"   
  
    He slumped back onto her bed, "Ok, you've just totally ruined my optimistic nature toward senior year. Next you are going to turn me against Spring Break."   
  
    "Oh, I don't have a problem with Spring Break."   
  
    "That's good-"   
  
    "Except that we never go anywhere..."   
  
    Hamilton groaned in frustration as he put his head in his hands, "I shouldn't have brought it up," he muttered to himself.   
  
    "...I mean, do you honestly want to spend another boring week here by ourselves?"   
  
    "I'm never bored when I get to spend time alone with you," raising his eyebrows to suggest the events which occur on the previous 'alone' times.   
  
    She rolled her eyes, "So I was thinking, this year, we could go somewhere. My mom owns this cabin in Vermont and we could stay there and go skiing."   
  
    "Your mom would be okay with us going there by ourselves?"   
  
    "No!" She laughed, "My mom may be an actress, but she's not some free-spirit, make-love-not- war hippie."   
  
    "Well then how-"   
  
    "Hamilton, this is _my_ mother we're talking about. She probably doesn't even know that I'm on Spring Break. Hell, she probably doesn't remember we own the cabin; we've only been there like, once in the 10 years we've owned it."   
  
    Pausing, she tried to push away the thoughts of her mother by concentrating on Hamilton; how he got that guilty look when she talked about her mom, like he was sorry she had to go through it, how his hair fell in his deep blue eyes when he leaned to kiss her, his lopsided smile, his broad shoulders and muscular back she saw almost every day at crew.   
  
    All these thoughts were leading down a familiar road, which reminded her of another point she needed to make to Hamilton, "Besides, Will and Scout are coming along - I already asked them."   
  
    "Why?"   
  
    When he pouted, she tried to hold back her smile, "Why! Because if we were there alone, we would never leave the cabin, let alone go skiing....which would effectually be the same as staying here in the dorms, except we would be in another state."   
  
    "I don't see a problem with that. Besides I've never done _it_ in another state."   
  
    She leaned closer to him, "And your not going to." Looking out the window, "At least...not yet," she glanced back at him quickly, smiling.   
  
    "We'll see about-" Stopping abruptly as he realized something, "Wait - you told Will and Scout..." he continued, disbelieving, "_Will and Scout_, before you invited me."   
  
    "Yeah, so?" she shrugged, grabbing one of the Oreo*s he had in front of him and munched on it casually. "Why?"   
  
    Hamilton didn't respond, he just stared at the floor. _She invited her two best friends before her boyfriend and she's wondering why I'm curious._   
  
    "You're not..." She laughed incredulously, "You're not jealous, are you?"   
  
    When he didn't answer, her laughing began again and he felt himself start to blush.   
  
    "Jealous!? Of Will...Of Will and _Scout_?" She fell back to the bed, dropping her half- eaten Oreo onto the plastic plate. Her hands rested over her stomach to calm her laughter, "You hear how ridiculous that sounds, right?"   
  
    He allowed himself a small smile as he leaned over her, grabbing her hands and holding them on the pillow above her head. "What makes you so sure I'll go with you?"   
  
    "Oh, you're coming all right."   
  
    "Yeah?" He leaned in and kissed her lightly.   
  
    Tilting her head back, she smiled as he moved to her neck. "Yeah."   
  
    "I don't know, my mom's kinda overprotective." He whispered between kisses, "She may not-"   
  
    "It's already taken care of..."   
  
    He let go of her hands and sat up in the bed, "What?"   
  
    Scooting herself into a sitting position, she rested with her back on the headboard, "I already talked to your parents, they are letting you go."   
  
    "What? But...You..." he stammered, trying to grasp onto a clear thought, "How did you manage that?"   
  
    "Ok, well they think you are going to New York where my mom will watch over us." Seeing the confusion in his eyes, she continued, "I told them that it was your early birthday present."   
  
    He nodded at her explanation, "That's very double-o seven of you."   
  
    "What can I say?" Placing her hand on his chest, she pushed him back until he was laying on the bed; Laughing as he landed on the papers she had been studying and brushed them away, "You know how to pick the good ones." She straddled him, with her legs on both sides of his hips, and bent in to kiss him. He held her face in his hands, slowly caressing her cheek with his fingers.   
  
    "So, I guess this means you're going?"   
  
    Bringing her face close to his again, he whispered, "Count me in." But before he could resume their prior activities, she broke away, removing herself from him and began to pick up the papers scattered on the floor.   
  
    "Great, now get going," She motioned toward the hall as she held up her notes, "I need to study, Two more finals, remember?"   
  
    "Fine," he held up his hands in defeat, walking to the door. As he closed the door, he muttered, "When did I become so weak?" He smiled as he heard her muted laughter coming from behind the door.  



	2. A Plan in Action

  
    "Bella!" Jake rode into the gas station, where Bella was perched on a stool, flipping through a several month old Cosmo. She cut the engine and stepped off her bike, "Reading anything good?"   
  
    "Oh, just the typical 'Is Your Man Moving Too Fast' stuff." She glanced up at her, smiling at the idiocy of the magazine.   
  
    Jake chuckled, "Well...is he?"   
  
    Bella only laughed in response. "You know, I should really be asking you that question. How about it Jake, is your man moving to fast?"   
  
    Jake's eyes never left the ground as she knew she was blushing. Looking in Bella's eyes and seeing that knowing glint would only make her blush more, so it was best to avoid it at times like this. They remained like this for a few moments, until they both spoke simultaneously:   
  
    "So, how is Sean these days, I never see him-"   
  
    "More problems with your bike-"   
  
    They both paused, waiting for the other to speak:   
  
    "No problems-"   
  
    "He's good-"   
  
    Jake laughed and shook her head, "Ok, you first Bella..."   
  
    "Sean's good, a little busy with soccer, but good. Ok so your turn, just here to chat?"   
  
    "Not so sure I want to do that anymore either."   
  
    "Oh come on Jake, it's so obvious that you and Hamilton are..." She paused before bringing her hands together and interlacing her fingers.   
  
    "Ok, new subject." Jake ran her hands through her hair, hoping she wasn't blushing.   
  
    Bella laughed as she placed the magazine on the bench.   
  
    "Doing anything for Spring Break?"   
  
    "Nope, just manning the gas station," motioning to the pumps behind her.   
  
    "Think you could break away and go skiing for a week?"   
  
    "I don't know." Hesitating, she shook her head...being a third wheel didn't sound like fun.   
  
    "Fine, but you are going to miss a fun week, did I mention there will be no parent supervision?" She tried to entice Bella, and it was working.   
  
    "I kinda have to work...and I don't want to interrupt you and Hamilton..." She brought her hands together in the same manner as before, "..._you know_."   
  
    It was a pretty inevitable step for those two. Even Will and Scout, who Bella had nicknamed the Oblivious Boys after their shock of discovering Jake to be a girl...even they knew something had changed between them. Being teenage hormonal boys, they were quick to assume what that something was.   
  
    "Woah, It's so not going to be that kind of weekend. Will and Scout will be there. And I promise, there will be no-" She laced her fingers together, "- _you know_ing"   
  
    Bella laughed and tilted her head forward, trying to hide her embarrassment.   
  
    Jake stooped down, so she could catch Bella's eyes. "You need a break from the job; a break from New Rawley. I know you have been working hard at school to. You better be, or you're going to need an excuse for not calling me as often. Besides, if you don't come, it's just going to me and three guys - you cannot do that to me."   
  
    "Jake, you live in an all-boys school, I think you can handle it."   
  
    "Yes, but even the amazing cross-dresser needs a break from the constant testosterone."   
  
    Bella smiled while considering Jake's plea. _It could be fun_. Looking back up at Jake, she grinned, "Ok, I'll ask."   
  
    "Great!" Jake said triumphantly, "We're leaving Saturday at 9 A.M."   
  


* * *

  
  
    Jake returned to the campus in search of Hamilton. The most logical place was his house. She paced outside of his house for 15 minutes, building up the courage to knock on the door. She didn't mind his mom, she was rather nice, it was just the dean that seemed to unnerve her.   
  
    Maybe it was because she had this monumental secret, maybe it was the way he looked at her, like he could tell everything she was trying to hide, maybe it was the fact that he had ultimate control of whether or not she stayed at Rawley for the next year and a quarter. It was probably a combination of all three, she concluded. So she felt rather defeated when she finally brought herself to go to his house, and his mother told her that Hamilton wasn't home.   
  
    Then she reasoned that, in reality, the most plausible place was the cafeteria, but he wasn't there either. Both Scout and Will said they hadn't seen him since that afternoon. After searching the lake, boat house, the pool, tennis courts - basically all of the campus grounds, she returned to her room, defeated.   
  
    She inserted her key into the lock and leaned against the door as she opened it. _Great, I just wasted two hours of studying time on a useless goose chase._   
  
    "Uhhh..." Her whole body posture changed; her shoulders slumped, her hands were in the air with surprised confusion and momentary irony.   
  
    Hamilton turned around from where he was sitting at _her_ desk, in _her_ chair, eating _her_ stash of M&M's. "Hey, where have you been?"   
  
    Exasperated, she laughed, "Where have I been? Where have _I_ been?" she shook her head at him. "_I_ have been searching the whole town of New Rawley, looking for you. And you're here. In my room. Eating my candy! How did you even get in here?"   
  
    "Hold on..." He turned back to her desk, where he had spread all of his notes and scratch paper, proceeding to dig through them until he found what he was searching for. This discovery prompted him to turn back to her, holding up a small key...a very familiar key. "Being the dean's son does come along with some perks."   
  
    "Give me that!" She snatched it from his outstretched hand.   
  
    "Look - I'm sorry, I won't do it again." He stared at her strangely, "I just came here because I needed help for the Trig final. You weren't here so-"   
  
    "Everyone knows." Her eyes were wide with anxiety.   
  
    Perplexed, he shook his head, "Is that..." Moving his hands aimlessly, he searched for some kind of answer, "Is that some kind of...code or something?" He squinted at her, "Everyone knows - What? That I'm not good at Trig?"   
  
    "That we-" She cut herself off before she got too loud, she didn't want the entire dorm to know. _What am I talking about? They probably already do know_. "That we had sex," she whispered, squatting down so she was level with Hamilton, who was still siting in the chair. Looking into his eyes, she searched for some of the same emotions she was feeling at that moment.   
  
    Placing his hands on her shoulders, "Who knows?" he asked calmly.   
  
    "Bella, Will, Scout - everybody." By then she had started pacing the room.   
  
    "Jake...Bella, Will and Scout hardly constitute everyone."   
  
    Ignoring his last statement, she continued, "She said it was so obvious. What does that mean? What if everyone in school can tell?" pulling on her hair to emphasis her different points.   
  
    "Jake, you don't know that. I'm sure they are the only ones that suspect."   
  
    "But what if they're not, what if other people can, like...sense it or something?"   
  
    When he laughed, she glared at him and turned away. "I'm sorry, I don't _mean_ to laugh," he was trying to suppress a smile at this point to seem at least slightly believable, "You're just over reacting a little. It could be worse, you know?"   
  
    She seemed to take some comfort in that and stopped pacing to sit on her bed. However, the nervous bounce of her leg and the anxious tapping of her fingers gave her away, "How?"   
  
    He sat next to her and rubbed her tense shoulders, "They could have heard us having sex."   
  
    Groaning, she pushed him away and laid back on the bed, putting her hand on her forehead, "Hamilton, this is so not what I need right now."  



	3. Road Trip

  
    "Ok..." Jake rubbed her hands together in anticipation, "So...is everyone ready?" She glanced around at the three anxious people around her. Only three. "Where's Calhoun?"   
  
    "I'm right here..." He came running up behind the group, bag in hand, and out of breath. "Sorry, couldn't find my keys." Smiling sheepishly, he held them up in front of the group.   
  
    "Everyone have their stuff?" Jake began to pile people's bags into the trunk, while making sure they had everything they needed.   
  
    They glanced at each other and nodded. Bella was the leader of the group, being the only one fully awake, "Check."   
  
    "Toothbrushes, pajamas, underwear, clothes?...we don't want to have to stop for this stuff."   
  
    "Check."   
  
    "Money?" That was thrown in for Bella. While in Vermont, they were going to do the touristy shopping thing.   
  
    "Check," Bella answered with enthused vigor.   
  
    "Junk food?"   
  
    "Check," hearing Hamilton's garbled voice before Bella could answer, she looked up. The plastic bag he held was stuffed with food. "Courtesy of my mom."   
  
    She sighed, "Good to see you're already eating it, Ham...Car games?"   
  
    "Check."   
  
    "Car _keys_?" She stopped the packing and glanced pointedly at Scout.   
  
    "Check," he jangled them to silence her. "Cabin keys?"   
  
    She pulled her keys out of her back pocket and smirked at him, "Check."   
  
    Searching the ground for any overlooked piece of luggage, she found nothing. She scanned her friends for a hint that she might be forgetting something, but if she had, they gave no clue. "Well, by God, it appears we're actually ready to leave. Somewhat on time, even."   
  
    "Yay for us." Bella clapped her hands together, ready to depart.   
  
    Scout put his arm around her as he led her to the front passenger's door, "You are way too hyper for nine in the morning."   
  
    "Blame it on Hamilton, he's the one who gave me chocolate."   
  
    Everyone looked at him. He shrugged, "She asked for some. I didn't know she had a low sugar threshold."   
  
    "This is going to be a long, long trip." Will sighed as he opened the car door.   
  
    Scout hopped up into the driver's seat. Bella took the front passenger seat, looking back into the car, she finally registered its incredible size.   
  
    "God, Scout...your car...it's huge."   
  
    Will tripped while he tried to vault over the middle row into the small, slightly elevated, back seat. His head rested mere inches from the ceiling, which he quickly noted after hitting it. From then on, he asked for the food to be passed back to him instead of trying to steal some of Hamilton's in the seat in front of him.   
  
    Jake and Hamilton occupied the central seats in the sports utility vehicle. Most of their space was invaded by skis and snow boarding equipment; so in an effort not to be stabbed in the back of the head with a ski pole, Jake laid her head in Hamilton's lap. Smiling, he began to run his fingers through her hair, in a rhythmic manner that almost lulled Jake back into sleep.   
  
    "Oh, I almost forgot...Fake IDs?" Hamilton could hear the tiredness in her voice. Usually, 'the night owl' slept in as late as possible on weekends.   
  
    "Check."   
  
    The group stopped in their individual conversations to turn to the very enthusiastic voice which emanated from the farthest end of the car. It was Will. William S. Krudski. Scout had a look of utter shock; Bella's mouth was moving but no sound came out, trying to form the words she couldn't find; Hamilton had his eyebrows raised questionably, and Jake was trying not to laugh and break the serious mood of the car.   
  
    "Ok - Joking!"   
  
    There seemed to be a visible sigh of relief from the group. What had the world degenerated to if Will had a fake ID?   
  
    "It's not that hard to believe. I do break rules sometimes." He said indignantly.   
  
    "Sure Will."   
  
    "Remember that one time we stayed up ten minutes past curfew...I honesty feared for my life." Scout mocked, in his own interpretation of Will's voice.   
  
    "Shut up! I never said that-"   
  
    "Yeah, come on Scout...."   
  
    Will was grateful for Jake's sympathy.   
  
    "...He was once late for crew, remember?"   
  
    "No...Finn asked him to go unlock the boat house, that was why."   
  
    Will could only sigh and put his head in his hands, wishing he had never said check. It was one simple word, but he just had to bring it up. Laying sideways in the seat, he tried to avoid their teasing stares, but their taunting still flowed over the seat back which blocked him from their view.   
  
    "Oh...I guess excused absences don't count, huh?"   
  
    "Nope."   
  
    "There was that one time - ugh, no, that wasn't really..." she tapped her fingers on her lips, thinking, "But what about that - no, that wasn't one either."   
  
    "Maybe you're thinking of the time - no, no....that was an accident not an official rule breaking."   
  
    Both Jake and Scout sat in silence, pretending to struggle and think of more 'Will's gone bad' incidents, when finally Bella interrupted the quiet,   
  
    "God Will, with a record like that, you're headed straight to prison."   
  
    "Yeah," Hamilton agreed, "We really need to sign him up for one of those 12 step programs. I mean," he sighed and shook his head, "his kleptomaniac tendencies...well, it's really starting to bother a lot of people."   
  
    "Enough!" Shouting from the back, Will sat up, "I get the point! I'm the Marcia Brady of Rawley."   
  
    "Can I quote you on that?"   
  


* * *

  
    "The music stopped and the crowd in the tent watched as the blindfolded man fell to his death. The man was murdered. How did it happen?" Reading from the small white card, Will looked up to find confusion in Hamilton and Bella's faces.   
  
    "He was getting executed?" Bella guessed.   
  
    "Nope."   
  
    "He...?" Hamilton looked at the roof as if it held the answer he was searching for. "...I have no idea."   
  
    "Any other takers?" Glancing around, he saw no one attempt to guess again. "It was during a live circus performance and the band conductor prematurely stopped the music. The blindfolded tightrope walker thought he had reached the end of the rope, and when he went to step on the expected platform, it wasn't there and he fell to his death."   
  
    "That's so stupid. How the hell were we supposed to get that?"   
  
    "Hey, I don't make the questions, I just read them."   
  
    "Ok, then. Do another one." Hamilton turned back to face the front of the car, staring, intent on answering one of the questions. They had been playing for 20 minutes and Jake and Bella were the only ones who actually guessed correctly. Or maybe they were just the only ones trying.   
  
    "Professor Quantum has two coins which total 35 cents. Since one of the coins is not a dime, what are the two coins? Hamilton...?"   
  
    He sighed, "Maybe it's like 3047 and we've created a new 30 cent coin."   
  
    Laughing, Jake looked up at him from the book she was reading, "Where the heck did that come from?"   
  
    "Come on. After the last answer anything could be a possibility."   
  
    "As _realistic_ as your guess sounds, I'm afraid it's not the right one. Try again - This one's not that hard, it just takes a little deductive reasoning."   
  
    "I don't know. I give up."   
  
    "A quarter and a dime. One coin is not a dime, but the other one is."   
  
    "That's so cheap," Hamilton scoffed. "Of course Will would be the one to bring a game that actually required thought and logic. It's Spring Break, man. Thought and logic aren't supposed to exist during Spring Break."   
  
    "I'm not that naive. I have seen MTV Spring Break after all."   
  
    "I think MTV does a good job at showing the hormone-driven horniness and all over stupidity of the common teenager." Jake commented, her eyes never leaving the page, as if it was a casual thing to say.   
  
    Everyone in the car turned to look at her, even Scout broke his eyes away from the road for a millisecond, "You know we are the common teenagers they are representing, right?"   
  
    Placing her bookmark between the pages, she folded her book closed, grinning, "I never said it didn't apply to us."   
  
    "So..." Bella felt the need to start a new topic since the thought of continuing the conversation about hormone-driven teenagers didn't quite appeal to her. "Where is everyone going to college?" She turned around in her seat to face her friends.   
  
    "The place that offers me the biggest scholarship!" Will yelled from his place in the farthest reaches of Scout's SUV.   
  
    "Yeah, I know that feeling." Her glance traveled from the third seat back, into the middle row of plush leather. "What about you Hamilton?"   
  
    "NYU, definitely." He sipped at his medium Sprite from their last stop at Taco Bell and snuck a quick glance at Jake, but she was already looking at him, smiling. There was a chorus of _awww_s from the car. Looking away, he hoped his face wasn't as flushed as it felt. Mumbling to the window, "It has a good art program," he tried to maintain some dignity.   
  
    "Yeah, and I'm sure that's the main reason you chose it too," Bella laughed, "Jake?"   
  
    "I don't know...I was thinking about University of San Diego, some place in California." She tried to suppress her smile as Hamilton's jaw dropped in surprise. Laughter filled the car and Hamilton pinched Jake in the side to get even. "No, but really, I was thinking of like Columbia or something."   
  
    "Wow that's so...prestigious. So...ivy league."   
  
    "That's the rumor."   
  
    Scout cleared his throat loudly.   
  
    "Subtle, Calhoun, Subtle." Hamilton muttered.   
  
    "That would be my nickname...Subtle Scout Calhoun."   
  
    Laughing, Bella decided to give in to his plea for attention, "Yes, Scout...and where would you be going?"   
  
    "Well, thanks for asking Bella. I would be going somewhere near Washington D.C. My dad has this grand idea of setting me up in an internship so I can slowly follow his footsteps in life."   
  
    "You've sure got the scandal aspect of politics covered." Chuckling, Hamilton did his best interviewer voice, "Mr. Calhoun, is it, or is it not true, that you were caught with a female in your dorm rooms after hours?"   
  
    "No comment."   
  
    "What? What is this, Scout? How come I haven't heard of this...Will?" Bella turned to look at Will for answers, but Jake was the one who filled her in.   
  
    "_Someone_ was found trying to sneak a girl out of his dorm room at two in the morning, only to be caught and punished severely."   
  
    She laughed in surprise as she turned to Scout and slapped his arm, "What were you thinking?"   
  
    "It wasn't like that, ok." Shaking his head, he continued, "We were working on a project due the next day and we had kinda put it off until that night...so there we were, at like twelve o'clock, still doing the poster, and we...kinda fell asleep."   
  
    "Where were you, Will?"   
  
    "Hey, don't get me involved, I was at that National Honor Society thing for a couple of days-"   
  
    "He didn't know," Scout interrupted, "So when I woke up, I started having, like, a panic attack, at the thought of getting possibly suspended or arrested or something - not logical, I know - but it was three in the morning and I wasn't thinking clearly. And so, I woke her up and tried to get her out of the building, but the front doors were locked. So we tried to, like, force open the windows and that was _not_ working. I guess they have these burglar alarms which detect if someone is trying to break in and with all our racket we caused them to go off."   
  
    "It was so hilarious," Jake added, "This insane alarm starts sounding, so everyone was getting up to see what it was and how to shut it off. Let me tell ya, one hundred sleepy, grumpy boys are not a pretty sight."   
  
    "Yeah, so there we were - I'm like, boosting her up to the window, and everyone troops down and finds us trying to escape. And she ends up falling on me and knocking me to the floor. That's when Ham's dad decides to come in, when she is sprawled over me on the floor and the guys are hooting and cheering." He puts his hand over his eyes for a second and shakes his head, "That was, honestly, the most embarrassing moment of my life."  



	4. Finding Their Way

  
    "Ok, new game." Scout waited until everyone stopped talking before he continued, "Who's hotter, Sarah Michelle Geller or Tara Reid?"   
  
    The girls in the car groaned.   
  
    "Sarah, definitely Sarah. I just keep picturing that girl/girl lip action in Cruel Intentions." While Hamilton spoke of this infamous kiss, all the boys in the car glazed over with a smile as they replayed it over and over in their minds. He shot Jake a suggestive glance.   
  
    "Keeping dreaming..." she grumbled, "God, you're such a typical guy sometimes."   
  
    "One of us has to be."   
  
    Rolling her eyes, she sought Bella for sympathy, "You see what I have to put up with every day?"   
  
    "Well, I like Tara Reid. I mean, after Americ-"   
  
    Jake cut Scout off, "Guys, there are women present, so let's try and keep the games to a testosterone minimum please? Thank you!"   
  
    "What's left then?"   
  
    "Umm...MindTrap?"   
  
    A groan arose from the car.   
  
    "MindTrap it is then." Grabbing the box from Will, she randomly selected a card and began to read.   
  


* * *

  
    The seating arrangement had altered slightly during the last two hours. Jake was moved to the front passenger chair to direct Scout to the cabin, assuming she still remembered its location. In addition to that, she had the job of holding the map and trying to decipher the roads as they twisted together and broke in different directions, altogether making it difficult to discern.   
  
    Bella and Will had taken over the middle row. Currently, Will slept with his jacket serving the dual purpose of pillow and insulation from the frosted window pane. Bella rested with her head on Will's shoulder. Located in the very small, very back, elevated seat, was Hamilton. Without much room, he was forced to throw his legs over the seat in front of him to sleep comfortably; another reason why Bella had to invade Will's personal space to sleep.   
  
    "Hey, we're almost there!" Scout's exuberant cry awoke the people in the back.   
  
    "Wake me up when we get there, not when we're _almost_ there." Hamilton's groggy voice drifted to the front compartment. Shifting, he placed the pillow over his ears to drown out further unwanted calls.   
  
    Bella stirred slightly and sat up. Rubbing her eyes and patting her hair down, she looked out the window to gauge where they were. The landscape, however, looked the same as it had an hour ago; white cloaked mountains, small water falls dripping down the rocky mountain hills, and every once-in-a-while, a frozen pond which people ice skated on. Accepting Hamilton's outburst as the correct solution, she sighed and snuggled back up to Will's shoulder.   
  
    "No, Hamilton. We. Are. There." Jake glanced in the back to see his unresponsive form, "Will, take that pillow off his head and hit him with it."   
  
    "Wha-?" Hamilton blinked multiple times, being awakened by a pillow assault was not high on his list of entertainment.   
  
    "Orders from the queen," Will nodded to Jake, "We're here."   
  
    They rounded a snow-covered bend in the road and turned onto a newly paved road, surrounded by snow laden trees. While proceeding back, they came to a gate with a small guard house that was meant to look from the early twentieth century.   
  
    Scout rolled down his window, "Excuse me?" He had to reach out and tap the glass to wake the guard.   
  
    "Can I help you?" The guard, Jim according to his unadorned name tag, asked, uninterested.   
  
    "Yes," Jake leaned over Scout, "Can you point us to 2495 Olivedale Avenue, please?"   
  
    "2495 Olivedale Avenue?" Jim asked curiously.   
  
    "Yeah..?"   
  
    "Didn't think anyone lived there anymore. It's kinda taken on this haunted rumor-" Glancing up at them, he got back on topic, "Uh, well...you just go through this gate and follow the main road until you come to Kingston. Take a right and follow it until you get to Vandalia and go left. Then when you run across Olivedale, you take a right and go to the very last house on the street."   
  
    "Thank you."   
  
    "How long are you kids staying?"   
  
    "About a week or so."   
  
    "Have a nice time-"   
  
    "We will. Thanks again." Scout rolled up the window, tired of idle chitchat, and drove through the opening gate.   
  
    "Jake, did you get any of that?"   
  
    "Yeah, I think so."   
  
    The main road was absent of houses. It did, however, have an abundance of bus stops and coffee shops. The first house, more appropriately called a mansion, did not appear until they reached Kingston, the first intersecting road to the main one. It was three stories, wood planking covered the first story, and brick was used from there on up. A large veranda was spread across the front of the house and the left side; on it rested a porch swing and an outdoor table that could be used in the pleasant weather of the summer. From then on, the houses only appeared to get larger.   
  
    "Look at that one," Bella pointed to a rather conservative, by these standards, two-story house, covered with stone and mortar. "I want a spiral tower on my house." The circular addition to the house stretched the two stories, interspersed with small windows. They were on Vandalia by then.   
  
    "God, I have never seen so many Lexuses."   
  
    Jake glanced at the houses on the street and noticed what Bella said to be true. Parked in front of almost every house was a Lexus, BMW, or some other extravagant car.   
  
    "Lexi." Will mumbled, as he too was glued to the ever increasing number of gaudy, exorbitant houses.   
  
    "What?"   
  
    "Lexi...the plural of Lexus. I think." Smiling sheepishly, he pretended to be extremely interested in the stitching of the leather seats.   
  
    "Thanks Grammar Boy." Hamilton clasped his hand on the back of Will's neck.   
  
    "Guys, not to disappoint or anything, but my cabin is not one of these..." Glancing out the window, Jake shook her head, "Most of these weren't even built the last time I was here. It was just open land."   
  
    "Ah, Olivedale Avenue." Scout broke their intense inspection of the incredible houses before them as he turned onto a gravel road. The car bounced as they traveled to the end of the street. "You weren't kidding Jake."   
  
    The house, to their regret, was just what Jake had said it was - a cabin. A one story log cabin set back into the trees. Everyone lumbered out of the car, grabbing their luggage and trudged toward the house. Jake struggled to get her key out and unlock the door, "Home sweet home," the door swung open revealing a very sparse living room.   
  
    Setting down the luggage in the middle of the room, the group turned around to take in the cabin. There wasn't much to take in. Spider webs clung to the corners and the tables, dust filled the cabin and swam in the air; so much so that when Scout plopped on the couch, he couldn't stop coughing for five minutes.   
  
    "Ok, so maybe not sweet. How about adequate?" In the kitchen, Jake found the fridge and cabinets empty of food. "Ok, how about we get changed and go out to eat? Then we can get some groceries." She led the guys to the back room and left them to change.   
  
    "We are going to have to share the pull out couch. I hope you don't mind." She took Bella down the hall and past the living room, "But at least we get our own bathroo-"   
  
    "Jake!" Both girls looked where Will had called from. "The lights in here aren't working." He flipped the switch to demonstrate for her.   
  
    She sighed, "Great. Ok, we can fix this." After a few minutes of searching, she found the fuse box in the back of the hall closet. Flipping some of the switches, "Do they work now?"   
  
    "Nope."   
  
    "What about now?"   
  
    "Nope."   
  
    "Ok....now?"   
  
    "No."   
  
    "Damn it. We're gonna have to get someone out here. We can ask that guy on the way out." She came back into the bedroom.   
  
    "What guy?"   
  
    "That Jim guy or whatever."   
  
    "Well, what are we supposed to do now?"   
  
    "I'm sure you can handle dressing in the dark, it you can't - you have bigger problems than no electricity."   
  
    "Grouchy." Scout muttered as she left the room.   
  


* * *

  
    The car turned back onto the gravel road as they returned from the restaurant.   
  
    "I'm so stuffed."   
  
    "I should hope so Ham. For a couple of tense minutes, I thought they might ban you from the salad bar, you went back enough times."   
  
    "God, I hope the power is back on." Bella mumbled to herself as she pulled her jacket tighter and jogged to the cabin.   
  
    "Thank you!" Jake mouthed to the ceiling, dropping her purse on the floor upon opening the cabin door. The lights were on. The refrigerator worked. The phone line worked. Everything was well in the Pratt Hotel.   
  
    "Yes!" Bella jumped behind her, "I love that Jim guy!"   
  
    The guys entered the cabin, carrying groceries, and were equally overjoyed at the idea of power, which also meant TV and videos.   
  
    "Here," Jake grabbed the bags from Scout and Will, "I'll put these in the kitchen."   
  
    Hamilton followed her, closing the screen that separated the kitchen from the living room, "This was a good idea," he kissed the back of her neck.   
  
    "Yeah, the idea of eating appeals to me too." She handed him a box of cereal to place in the cabinet.   
  
    After putting it away, he turned back to her, leaning on the marble counter, "No...I mean us, here, in Vermont. Together...sharing a room."   
  
    Laughing as she washed her hands, "Hamilton, as much as I would love to share a room with you..." she turned around to face him.   
  
    He grinned and raised his eyebrows at her.   
  
    "I can't."   
  
    His face fell, "But...?"   
  
    "No, Ham. That would mean Bella would have to room with Will and Scout. Even I'm not that mean."   
  
    "Come on, they are like brothers to her, they wouldn't mind."   
  
    "Well, I'm gonna chose to ignore the obvious irony in that statement and just leave you with the knowledge that - after living in an all male dorm for three years - I know that's not something you subject your friends to."   
  
    "So..?"   
  
    "So, you guys are gonna stay in the back bedroom - we have a cot around here somewhere. And Bella and I will sleep on the pull out couch."   
  
    "Ok...I guess I can accept that."   
  
    "That's very chivalrous of you, Ham, but there will be no guessing. That is what is going to happen."   
  
    Laughing, he grabbed her arm and led her into the living room where everyone else lay, watching a movie, "Wooh....You drive a hard bargain."  



	5. A Good Kick in the Ego

  
    The next morning, Hamilton wandered into the kitchen, grabbing the open box of Cherrios from the counter, and poured himself a bowl. Looking over his shoulder to the table, he saw Bella, Scout, and Will were sitting there, already dressed in their skiing clothes and laughing about some misadventure Bella had gotten herself into.   
  
    Brushing his wet hair from his face, "Where's Jake?" he said, between bites of his cereal.   
  
    "She's in the bedroom."   
  
    "Thanks." He took his bowl with him as he set out in search of Jake. Walking down the hall, he heard a soft tapping noise.   
  
    _Computer_, he smiled, shaking his head. _I swear, she like...an addict or something._   
  
    Knocking swiftly on the door before he let himself in, "Hey," he said softly. "What are you up to?" He sat next to Jake on the bed; she was laying on her stomach, typing on her laptop in front of her.   
  
    "Just checking the snow conditions." Closing her laptop, she stared at the comforter. Her thick white turtleneck contrasted the darkness of her hair and her new black ski pants were unmarred by previous ski trips. The beige jacket lay on the floor next to the bed.   
  
    Rubbing her back lightly, "I'm sure she'll e-mail you soon," he could feel her tense through her layers of clothing.   
  
    "How did you know?"   
  
    "I've known you for three years...I've _loved_ you for three years. I can tell when something is about your mom."   
  
    She stopped tracing the pattern on the bed to glance at him; her eyes acknowledged the fact that he did understand her better than anyone else could.   
  
    "Besides, I saw you watching the weather conditions on TV earlier."   
  
    Laughing, she turned onto her back, moving his hand to rest on her stomach. "Am I that obvious?"   
  
    Leaning closer to whisper, "Only to me," he kissed her forehead. He stood up and held his hand out for her. "Let's go ski."   
  
    She seemed to consider his statement for a moment, before accepting his outstretched hand.   
  
    With a smile, he led her out of the room.   
  


* * *

  
    They stood at the base of the mountain, pondering what to do. Bella and Will's ski equipment had been rented for the week, but there were other problems at hand. Jake, Hamilton and Scout were all experienced skiers, while the other two were not.   
  
    "Why waste money on private lessons when I can teach you?"   
  
    Jake laughed loudly, "Let's weigh our options, shall we? On the one hand, you could take lessons. Safe, useful, good, no-great lessons. OR...you could have Rambo here," pointing at Scout, "teach you how to death ski."   
  
    Bella and Will looked hesitantly at each other before replying. "Lessons."   
  
    "Hey, I'm not that bad!"   
  
    "Ok, Scout...How many of your broken bones in the past nine years have been due to skiing accidents?"   
  
    "That's....that's a low blow. I mean, no beginning skier is perfect - I was just a little shakier than most."   
  
    "You surpass shaky and move on to dangerous after the fourth human-tree incident."   
  
    "Ok - Two of those weren't my fault. I can't help it if I get something...stuck in my eye and I can't see where I'm going."   
  
    "You know, they've come out with some amazing new technology recently...Goggles - you might want to try it."   
  
    "Hah..." He whipped out a pair of sunglasses from his back pocket, "I've got something even cooler."   
  
    "Hey, I resent that." Bella adjusted the goggles which drooped on her face.   
  
    "Well, Bug Eyes, we need to sign up for lessons. Today, preferably." Will grabbed her hand and lead her to the lodge.   
  
    "See you guys later!"   
  
    "Ok, so where should we start?" Unfolding the map, Jake searched for a good trail.   
  
    "How about this one...Devil's Run?"   
  
    "Scout, that's a double diamond."   
  
    "Yeah, so?"   
  
    "Are you sure that's such a good idea? You know, with your past record and everything?" Hamilton tried to approach the subject lightly.   
  
    "I think it's a great idea. Are you two coming or not?"   
  
    "No...dying doesn't sound like too much fun today. I think we'll stick to blue and green trails." Jake looked at Hamilton, who nodded in agreement.   
  
    "Ok, well...have fun. You know. Being wimps and everything."   
  
    "We will. Hey, do you wanna meet up here for lunch? Say around 12:30ish?"   
  
    "Yeah, that sounds good."   
  


* * *

  
    "Ready to ski, Ham?"   
  
    "'Scuse me?"   
  
    "Oh, that's right - I forgot. You snow board now, don't you...?"   
  
    "Hell yeah."   
  
    "...Because skiing is _so_ last year and we wouldn't want to be old fashioned, now would we?"   
  
    "No shit."   
  
    Jake stopped rocking back and forth on her skis, "What's up with your two syllable answers today?"   
  
    "Just seeing how long it would take you to notice."   
  
    "You...are way too easily amused."   
  
    "Well, we only children must learn to entertain ourselves."   
  
    She chuckled, "Yeah, I hack, you play mind games...Shouldn't that be the other way around?"   
  
    "I don't mind you being the one who wears the pants in the relationship. So long as I get to be the one who takes them off." He growled at her.   
  
    "You are so...tacky." Pushing on her ski poles, she propelled herself down the steep slope.   
  
    With a small hop, Hamilton closed in behind her, "You know you love me for it." As he passed her, he turned slightly, twiddling his fingers and smiling.   
  
    Swishing to the left and to the right, she watched him glide before her in smooth, easy movements; he was a natural. Approaching an upturned shelf of snow, he squatted down and leaned back, preparing to jump. She saw him fly into the air, graceful and in control.   
  
    _Show off_. Smiling and pushing forward, she tried to catch up to him.   
  
    In the three years they had been dating, he still felt the need to impress her, whether it be an expensive date or a cheesy song he wrote for her. Now, he was doing it again.   
  
    Jake could see it before it happened. He started to lean while in the air causing him to miss his landing. The rest of his journey down the slope was made on his back as he struggled to stop.   
  
    Shaking her head, she turned to where his body finally lay, sprawled out in the snow.   
  
    "Come on Ham. What happened to the master guru snow boarder I know is in there somewhere," poking his heavy jacket with her ski pole, "Huh?"   
  
    "Uhhh," he groaned as he lifted his head slightly to look at her, squinting in the morning sun, "I hurt." Collapsing back into the snow, he sighed, "I think I'm gonna stay here for a minute."   
  
    Laughing, she unlatched her boots from the skis and sat next to him; he wasn't hurt - well nothing physical...just his ego. But it's always wise to give a guy a good kick in the ego every once-in-a-while.   
  
    Hamilton opened his eyes after hearing a click. Jake had taken a picture of him, covered in snow, with _his_ disposable camera. He had wanted to bring his good camera, but Jake had debated, saying that it might get broken. So she bought him four disposable ones instead.   
  
    When his eyes fully adjusted to the light, he could also see that she was also holding his sunglasses before him.   
  
    "You dropped these..."   
  
    He grabbed his camera and sunglasses from her, wiping the snow from them, "_Thanks_," wrinkling his nose as he said it.   
  
    "Don't give me that 'It's your fault' voice. You were the one trying to show off." Brushing the snow off her pants, she stood up and stepped into her skis.   
  
    "Whatever."   
  
    "Come on," she gave her hand to him, "We have to meet them soon."  



	6. A Day in the Life

  
    "Will, is it just me, or is this really hard?"   
  
    "I'm gonna go with really hard," he held onto Bella's shoulders to keep his balance.   
  
    "Ok, just making sure."   
  
    "Now, slide one foot in front of the other to move," the ski instructor announced.   
  
    "A lot easier said than done," Will mumbled, causing Bella to laugh and consequently the entire class of ten to twelve year olds to stare at the two oldest members of the group. "I can't believe the teenage beginning class was full. I was almost tempted to take Scout up on his offer."   
  
    "I'm never that desperate. Besides, living sounds too enticing to let Scout teach us how to ski."   
  
    "Ok everyone. Follow me, we are going to practice skiing now!"   
  
    Will scoffed as the teacher pointed to small hill with barely enough of an incline to be labeled a hill. The group followed Mr. Kennington, or Ski Ken as he liked to be called, to the small ski lift. It really wasn't a ski life, per se, as much as a moving set of poles, used to drag a person up the incline. Neither Will nor Bella found this concept very appealing. Though they were leading the pack, they soon found themselves falling behind.   
  
    "Will, help me? My skis don't work." Staring intensely at the ground, Bella tried to move forward, but each advancing step with one foot, would slide the other back, every time a little more than before.   
  
    "Bel...I don't think it's the skis that are defective."   
  
    "Shut up and get over here and help me!"   
  
    Gliding down to her, he grabbed her hands and placed them on his shoulders, allowing her to pull herself forward.   
  
    "Thanks," she brushed a strand on hair out of her eyes, "Hurry, we don't want those sixth graders to steal our place in line."   
  
    "God forbid! We might have to beat one or two of them up."   
  
    "Will, we're not playing 'Quickest Way to Get Sent to Jail' here, okay? Save that for a rainy day in New Rawley." With a grunt, she pulled him toward the ski lift.   
  
    After reaching the top of the hill, Ski Ken attempted to give them a pep talk/review. "Ok now. Go slow everyone - this is your first time. No one is ever perfect their first time, but I'm sure everyone here will do just fine! Remember, to slow down, just wedge your skis into the shape of what?"   
  
    "A slice of pizza!" the kids yelled enthusiastically. Will and Bella had also answered, but with a role of their eyes and a tad less vigor than the hungry children swarming in front of them.   
  
    "That's right! Ok...go!" Ski Ken encouraged.   
  
    Will leaned in to whisper, "Last one down's a rotten egg,"   
  
    She raised her eyes challengingly. "No running over small children."   
  
    "Of course not."   
  
    "Ok. Ready, set-" But Will had taken off early. "Hey, no fair!"   
  
    Pushing off, she tried to gain speed to catch Will, but that proved difficult without the help of ski poles and a steeper slope than the one she had been provided. At the bottom of the hill, a very smug Will waited for the approaching girl.   
  
    As _that cheater_ came into view, Bella tried to wedge her skis together. Not succeeding, she began to pick up speed as she headed straight for Will.   
  
    "I can't stop! I can't stop!"   
  
    At first, he thought she was joking, trying to get even with him for starting early. But when he saw her coming closer, with her hands outstretched and her eyes closed, grimacing, he knew this was no scare tactic; she was really going to run into him.   
  
    He tried to shuffle out of the way, but was not proficient enough with the concept of moving to avoid her. The world spun before his eyes; he felt the impact of her body, mainly in his chest, as she knocked him to the snow, landing on top of him. Blinking several times, he realized what had happened, "Ouch." His brain pounded from the impact of the ground. "Thank God there were no ski poles involved or this could have been a serious accident."   
  
    He felt her body shaking from laughter above him and he couldn't help but smile himself.   
  
    "I'm sorry...I'm sorry Will. But I...I just...couldn't...stop." Since her words were interspersed with laughter, it took a fun two minutes to complete the apology.   
  
    "I think we better break for the day, before someone gets hurt." Ski Ken glanced at the two, who were now in hysterics.   
  
    "You know Bella, maybe it is the skis. Because no one should be this bad, even if they are a beginner."   
  
    "Shut up," she punched his shoulder as he helped her up.   
  
    "Come on Ski Demon, let's go get some lunch."   
  


* * *

  
    By the time they had returned home, they were exhausted, cold, and hungry for a real meal. Not some overpriced, greasy piece of pizza they sold at the restaurants surrounding the ski lifts.   
  
    "Food?" Scout mumbled, collapsing at the kitchen table.   
  
    "As in...do we have some? Yes. Is it cooked? No."   
  
    "I can make some spaghetti."   
  
    "You can cook, Ham?" Will was surprised.   
  
    "Well, it's really not that diffic-"   
  
    "That sounds good," Jake patted his hand and turned back to her friends, "He makes a pretty mean spaghetti. So how was your day skiing Scout? Make any close new tree friends?"   
  
    "For your information, I did not once fall down or run into any inanimate objects."   
  
    "That's great Scout! I do believe - wait a minute...Did you run into a person?"   
  
    "I said I didn't-"   
  
    "...run into any _inanimate objects_."   
  
    Smiling sheepishly, he hung his head, "No one was hurt!"   
  
    "How bad was it?" Bella implored.   
  
    "The equivalent of a four-car pile up."   
  
    "How did that-" Sighing, Jake shook her head, "I don't even want to know."   
  
    "Yeah, well, WE were stuck with a bunch of elementary school kids learning how to ski. All day."   
  
    "We know."   
  
    "What do you mean you know?"   
  
    "Well, we were coming down to meet Scout for lunch, and we saw you guys. So we kinda...took a picture."   
  
    "Great!" he sighed, "Why do I have to feeling I'm really gonna regret that?"   
  
    Jake laughed, "So how did you get put in that class anyway?"   
  
    "All the teenage classes were full. Yeah, so between ten year olds publicly humiliating me, realizing there are small children that can, in fact, ski better than I do, and being run over by Bella - it wasn't one of my best days."   
  
    "Okay, so stopping doesn't come naturally to me, I'm sorry."   
  
    "Don't worry, it doesn't come naturally to Calhoun either," turning to him, Jake teased, "And how long have you been skiing?"   
  
    He turned away from her, shaking his head.   
  
    "That's what I thought. So...it looks like everyone here managed to have their little wipe out today. Oh - except for me," pleased with herself, she leaned back in her chair, "Which would logically make _me_ the best skier."   
  
    "Oh, your time will come."   
  
    "Yeah you keep telling yourself that, Scout."   
  
    "It will. And it will come big!"   
  
    "And I'll be there to catch it on film." Hamilton whipped around from cooking to take a picture of the four at the dinner table. "That's a promise."  



	7. Old Trends

  
    Scout stumbled into the kitchen, pulling on his boots over his thick pair of socks, "What are we having for breakfast?"   
  
    "We have cereal, cereal, and...cereal." Sitting at the table, Bella was reading the newspaper.   
  
    "Cereal it is. Move over breakfast food hog," he bumped Will away from the counter so he could reach the box of Cork Flakes.   
  
    "Jeez...pushy." Will sat next to Bella and stole a piece of her toast while she read, unaware.   
  
    A very tired Jake stumbled into the kitchen with Hamilton close behind her, still in their pajamas.   
  
    "Hey guys," she yawned and stretched slowly, with a sleepy smile.   
  
    "You two not gonna ski today?"   
  
    "Nope," Hamilton sat down and pulled Jake onto his lap, kissing her neck, "We're gonna do some date stuff."   
  
    "Stuff where I get to be a girl. I miss being a girl."   
  
    "Yeah, I miss it too."   
  
    Smiling, she rolled her eyes and rocked back into him.   
  
    CLICK.   
  
    They looked up, startled, to see Bella holding his disposable camera. "Sorry, it was just so cute - I had to. Total Kodak moment."   
  
    "Yeah, I'll remember that when my dad finds the picture and asks why Jake appears mysteriously similar to a female."   
  
    Whispering, "You'll just have to hide it well," Jake turned to kiss him.   
  
    "I think that's more your area of expertise." He brought his forehead so it rested against hers.   
  
    "Well, we better leave before _we_ feel like we are starting to interrupt something," grabbing his coat, Will left the room, motioning the others to follow.   
  
    "Man, I already feel like that."   
  


* * *

  
    "What do you want to do today?"   
  
    They lay on the pull out couch, watching TV. Her head rested on his chest and his arm was around her waist, holding her close.   
  
    "Stay here with you." He stroked his fingers up and down her arm.   
  
    She buried her head in his shirt as she began to laugh.   
  
    Tilting her face up, he smiled, "What's so funny?"   
  
    "Even bringing people with us didn't get us out of the cabin."   
  
    "Well, what do you want to do?"   
  
    Rolling on top of him, she ground her hips against his.   
  
    "Yeah? Now you're talking my language."   
  
    She pulled away as he tried to bring her in for a kiss, "But first I want to go out to eat for lunch, see a movie, shop-"   
  
    "Shop? You are gonna make me shop?"   
  
    She continued with her list, ignoring Hamilton's outburst, "...shop and buy groceries."   
  
    "So that before-"   
  
    "This?" rubbing her hips into his again.   
  
    Closing his eyes, he gritted his teeth, "Yes, and you do that again, we will not be leaving the house...So, that was, like, a teaser - to blackmail me into shopping?"   
  
    "Hamilton Flemming...."   
  
    He cringed at the sound of his full name. That his something his mother did, when she was angry. So he had developed a natural bad reaction to hearing anyone say it.   
  
    "...You are learning all my tricks. What am I to do with you?" her fingers ran over his cheekbone and down to his jaw, lifting his face to hers.   
  
    "Ok...but I didn't really have a choice, did I?"   
  
    "No. No, you didn't."   
  


* * *

  
    "Come on Jake, we have a reservation to keep." Glancing at the bedroom door and then his watch, he sighed and turned to look out the window.   
  
    "Hamilton, it's 1:30 on a Tuesday...we don't need a reservation," her voice floated through the thin wooden door.   
  
    It was snowing lightly outside. That and the smell of the cabin with its freshly lit fire reminded him of the times his family would go skiing. They used to build a family of snowmen; they used to have snowball fights; they used to see each other more than just at the dinner table. But that was before his father became the Dean. After that, he didn't have time for much besides managing the school.   
  
    Jake ran out of the bathroom, hopping as she pulled on the strap of her shoe. "Hamilton?"   
  
    Shaking his head to rid the thoughts, he turned around.   
  
    "What do you think?" Slowly, she swished in a circle so he could study her. "Well..?" she walked closer to him, holding out her hands.   
  
    Lacing his fingers with hers, he held her arms out from her body, so he could observe her. "I think you look..." Her hair was styled into a suitably girlish manner. It was softer and it framed her face; not at all like the harsh, spiky, boy hair to which he had become familiar. The low neckline of her shirt proved that she was indeed of the female gender. Her aqua skirt came to rest below the knees, showing her smooth, tanned calves. The black, strappy, heels she wore showcased her perfectly painted toe nails.   
  
    _Perfect_, marveling at how beautiful she was, he wondered how it was possible that he was the only one who understood that.   
  
    "...amazing. You look amazing." She smiled as he moved her hands to his waist, hugging her.   
  
    Leading Jake toward the door, "We don't want to be late for our reservation."   
  


* * *

  
    "It feels so nice to do this in public." As they walked out of the movie theater, Hamilton found Jake's hand and laced their fingers together.   
  
    "Yeah it is."   
  
    "Jake?"   
  
    "Yeah?" She looked over at him.   
  
    "You look foxy," his hand covered his mouth in a pretend cough, which was strategically used to hide his laughter. "Just thought you might want to know."   
  
    She gave an exaggerated sigh, "You know, I remember once telling a guy that 'foxy' isn't the way to my heart."   
  
    "Yeah? Well I remember once telling myself I wasn't gay."   
  
    Laughing as she tilted her head to the side, "You're not."   
  
    "Maybe - but you sure as hell made me doubt that."   
  
    "That's my job, as a woman. To make you question yourself."   
  
    "Don't I know it." Shaking his head, he placed his arm around her shoulders and brought her closer as they continued to walk.   
  
    "You know, you've been so good today...I think we can skip the shopping."   
  
    "Really?" his face lit up. "Wait a minute - You're doing one of those things where you let me think you are doing me a favor...but you're really not. You want to get it on as much as I do."   
  
    "No, it's just that Bella and I are gonna shop, so I don't need you to-" she sighed, "Okay - so...what if I am?"   
  
    "Hey, I'm not complaining."   
  
    "Good, but we still need to go to the grocery store."   
  
    "But-"   
  
    "Hamilton...I mean really: sex or life-sustaining food?"   
  
    Apparently, he thought the appropriate response was to waggle his eyebrows.   
  
    "Ok stupid question..." She broke her gaze away from the sidewalk by shaking her head, "We _are_ going to buy food."   
  
    "Fine."   
  


* * *

  
    They had barely made it inside the cabin door, before Hamilton tackled her. The bag of groceries felt to the floor as he pushed her toward the couch.   
  
    "Hamilton, what about-" she motioned to the bags on the floor but her cut her off with a kiss.   
  
    His hands toyed with the edge of her shirt, slowly lifting it as his fingers lightly ran up and down her sides. She shuddered at the coolness of his hands and pulled him closer to her. They fell back to the pull out bed, Hamilton landing on top of her.   
  
    Sighing as his kisses moved from her mouth, to her neck, and then her collarbone, she reached over him and tugged on the back of his shirt, trying to pull it off. He broke away from her for a minute as he grabbed the hem and ripped it off, throwing his hair into a state of static chaos. She laughed and brushed his hair back with her fingers, her nails tickling his scalp. Her fingers rubbed the back of his neck before she drew him toward her.   
  
    Slowly, he unbuttoned her shirt, kissing the newly revealed skin, and moved the two sides apart. His hands snaked around her back, underneath the green striped top, to unclasp her bra. She arched, allowing his access and felt as the satin loosened and the straps fell from her shoulders.   
  
    Groaning as the phone rang, "Hamil-" but his lips captured hers and the words disappeared. She was lost in the feeling of his hand moving up her inner thigh and his tongue swirling on the sensitive skin of her breast. Until the phone rang again. It was an incessant ringing that made her want to rip it out of the wall and throw it out the window. Or maybe it just seemed like that now.   
  
    "Hamilton."   
  
    "Shhh.." He placed his fingers on her lips and lightly traced the outline of her features, "Ignore it."   
  
    "But what if it's your parents?"   
  
    Sighing, he hung his head and rolled off of her, enabling her to answer the phone.   
  
    She pulled her shirt closed and walked limply to the phone, remembering to lower her voice before she spoke, "Yes?" she demanded.   
  
    "Jake...? Thank God you're there. We are in such deep shit right now."   
  
    "Bella, I have never heard you swear before in my life. What...what's going on?"   
  
    "Scout is here. At the hospital."   
  
    "Oh my God, what happened? Is he okay? We're you all in an accident? Is Will ok?" All her questions came spilling out in an unintelligible ramble.   
  
    Hamilton approached her side, trying to get her attention, "What happened?" he mouthed.   
  
    Holding up her finger to silence him, she pointed to the phone and mouthed, "Bella."   
  
    Rolling his eyes, he leaned against the wall, forcing himself to wait until she was finished.   
  
    "Will's fine. I'm fine. Scout had a skiing accident-"   
  
    "Another one?"   
  
    "Yes, and he cut himself, not too bad, but he has to get stitches."   
  
    "Shit, have they called his parents yet?"   
  
    "Yeah, about half an hour ago...Jake, his dad just called back, he's on the next plane here. To Vermont."   
  
    "God dammit. Ok, where is the hospital?" Jake jotted down the address, "Okay, we'll be there soon."   
  
    "What happened?" Hamilton asked as Jake latched her bra and buttoned her shirt.   
  
    "Scout did something stupid, I don't know. Now he's at the hospital getting stitches. His parents are already on a plane here. And they are not going to be happy."   
  
    "Jake, you can't go to the hospital like that. I mean, we don't know who's gonna show up."   
  
    "Fuck," She threw him the keys, "Start the car, I'll be out in five minutes."  



	8. Things Fall Apart

  
    "Bella!" Jake ran down the stark white hallway to hug her friend. She pulled back to look her in the eyes, "Hey, how are you?"   
  
    Sniffling, Bella wiped her tears away, "I'm sorry I'm crying. It's stupid really. I mean Scout's going to be fine."   
  
    "It's ok." She wrapped her arms around Bella again.   
  
    "It's just that, we saw them bring him down the mountain, there was blood everywhere, and we didn't know what happened. So we followed them here." A fresh wave of tears started, "And they wouldn't tell us what happened, 'cause we're not family, ya know? And so I - we didn't know if it was, like, life-threatening or what until just a few minutes ago. I thought he could have been dying and we didn't know."   
  
    "It's all going to be ok. Scout's good," Jake patted her back softly, rubbing in soft circle, "Well, except for the massive grounding he's going to receive."   
  
    Laughing, Bella pulled back and accepted a tissue from Hamilton. "Me too."   
  
    Hamilton put his arm around both girls, moving them into a huddle, "I think that goes for all of us." They remained in this small circle, heads resting together in the center, until Will interrupted,   
  
    "Hey, they'll let us see him now."   
  
    They follow Will into the hospital room. Scout seemed so small in the bed, swimming in the white blankets they placed over him. His face was swollen and bruised; bandages covered his jaw.   
  
    "Hey guys," he tried to smile slightly.   
  
    "Hey, how you feeling Calhoun?"   
  
    "Pretty good....Okay, not that good. But hey, at least I've made some close new tree friends."   
  
    Jake laughed, "Had I known that this was going to happen, I probably would not have made that comment."   
  
    "We're glad you're okay." Bending over, Bella tried to hug him without adding further injury.   
  
    "Yeah, Calhoun, You sure know how to scare the shit out of us. Another good politician characteristic."   
  
    Scout was about to reply to Hamilton's comment when they heard a deeper voice carry over their own, "Yes, it is."   
  
    "Dad."   
  
    "Senator Calhoun. We're really sorry about all of this-"   
  
    But he motioned for Bella to be quiet as he broke through their semicircle around his son and sat next to the bed.   
  
    "What the hell did you think you were doing, son?"   
  
    "Well..I..we..umm."   
  
    The senator broke his serious tone with a smile and leaned over to hug Scout, "I'm just relieved you're not seriously injured."   
  
    Scout sat there, stunned, for a moment, before returning the hug. "Me too."   
  
    "But you know I'm going to have to punish you for this."   
  
    "Yeah, I kinda figured-"   
  
    "And thoroughly check into any school related trips before I let you attend them."   
  
    "Yes, sir."   
  
    "And take away your car."   
  
    Scout looked at him pleadingly, but agreed softly, "Yes, sir."   
  
    Senator Calhoun turned from Scout to face the rest of the group, who looked prepared to get a severe lecture and/or screaming rant, "I guess all of you need a ride back to Rawley Academy?"   
  
    Letting go of the breath she had been holding, Bella spoke for them, "Yes, we do."   
  
    "We'll leave when the hospital releases Scout, which I expect to be tomorrow."   
  
    "Thank you, Senator Calhoun."   
  
    He smiled at the group, "Thought I was going to yell?"   
  
    "Honestly...yes."   
  
    "I'll leave that for your own parents. I'm sure there will be plenty to go around."   
  
    "I can pretty much guarantee that."   
  


* * *

  
    "Hamilton, pick up the phone," Jake commanded.   
  
    Staring at the pay phone in the lobby, his hand reached out and rested on the receiver, but he didn't pick it up.   
  
    "Hamilton, either you can call them now and have them yell and scream, or you can wait for them to find out through someone else and be ten times as angry. Which do you want?"   
  
    Standing in silence and frowning at the phone, he thought about her advise.   
  
    "Fine! I'll do it." Before he could stop her, she had picked it up and dialed his number, "Here..." she held the ringing phone out to him.   
  
    Reluctantly, he grabbed it and twirled the cord around his hand. "Hi dad, can I speak with mom please?"   
  
    "Sure, she's right here..."   
  
    "Hey mom, umm, how are you?" He was stalling, so Jake pinched him in the side to remind him of what he had to do.   
  
    "Oww." He glared at Jake, then turned back to the phone, "Oh, nothing."   
  
    "Is something wrong, sweetie?"   
  
    "Yeah, you know how I said I was going to New York with Jake?"   
  
    "Yes. You didn't...go to New York?"   
  
    "Oh, uhh, I-I did pass through it...but...we kindawenttovermonttoskiinstead."   
  
    "Hamilton, honey, you're going to have to speak a little slower."   
  
    "We. Went. To. Vermont. To. Ski. Instead."   
  
    "Oh, so Monica had enough time to take you skiing? That was nice of her. You're going to have to write her a nice thank you note-"   
  
    "Not exactly..."   
  
    "No exactly what?"   
  
    "Monica...Mrs. Pratt, didn't _exactly_ take us skiing."   
  
    "Well then how did you get there?"   
  
    "We drove."   
  
    "Well, I know you drove, dear, I saw you leaving in Scout's car."   
  
    "We...we kinda bypassed the whole New York thing and went skiing by ourselves. The five of us."   
  
    "Monica must be worried sick. Please tell me you called her so she's not pulling her hair out?"   
  
    "She never, really, thought we were going to stay with her. That was a cover."   
  
    "A cover for the ski trip."   
  
    "Yes."   
  
    "So let me get this straight. You lied - you and Jake lied to us. You made up this intricate story about staying with his mom, complete with a..._fraudulent_ email, so you two could go skiing?"   
  
    "Five of us."   
  
    "What?"   
  
    "You said the two of us, but there are five."   
  
    "With no adult supervision?"   
  
    "No, not technically."   
  
    "What does not technically mean?"   
  
    "Well, Jake is, um, 18."   
  
    "THAT does not qualify as adult supervision. What brought to this sudden need to tell the truth, since you obviously had no problem lying to your parents for the past week?"   
  
    "That's the reason...for the call. Scout kinda got injured."   
  
    "What?"   
  
    "He's ok, it's nothing serious. Just a few stitches."   
  
    "Nothing serious? Hamilton, you should know better. If, God forbid, he had died, it would have been our fault. This could have been reflected on the school!"   
  
    "Well, maybe I'm sick of always worrying about how I make the school look. 'Hamilton, make good grades.' 'Hamilton, give this person a tour of the school.' 'Hamilton, be perfect so we can show you off to everyone.' I hate it."   
  
    "Don't you take that tone with me, young man. You are the one who has done something wrong here. Stop trying to divert the attention. Now, who is up there with you?"   
  
    "Why?"   
  
    "I need a list of parents to call and explain the situation."   
  
    "Will Krudski, Scout Calhoun, Jake Pratt, Bella Banks."   
  
    "A girl, Hamilton? God, tell me she's not pregnant."   
  
    "Mom, it's not like that, she's my friend. She's _just_ a friend to all of us. That's all."   
  
    "Where are you now?"   
  
    "The hospital."   
  
    "Give me the name and address."   
  
    "What for?"   
  
    "So we can come up there and retrieve you."   
  
    "Wait - Why? You don't need to come up here...we can just drive back down with Scout."   
  
    "I need to be there so I can apologize from my son's irresponsible behavior and beg them not to sue us."   
  
    "They won't sue, Mom, they're not like that."   
  
    "Honey, I know Rawley parents better than you, I think."   
  
    "Whatever. The hospital is St. Michael's at 9278 S. Langton Place."   
  
    "Okay, we will be up there by tomorrow morning."   
  
    "Bye." He slammed down the phone. "God, they drive me nuts."  



	9. Reality Sets In

  


_"If you're going to skate on thin ice, you might as well dance."_

  


* * *

  
    "Looks like I got the taste of the big wipe out too." Jake leaned on Hamilton as they sat in the plastic orange chairs of the hospital, the next morning.   
  
    He was sitting with his elbows on his knees, holding his face in his hands. "Yep. Just like Scout said you would." Rubbing his eyes, he turned to her, "We're so screwed."   
  
    "We were always screwed. I'm sorry Ham, I should have seen this coming. I mean, there are only so many times a single person can get lucky. And I think I've just proven that I've used all my luck cards. I'll take all the blame, that way they can't get too mad at you."   
  
    "Hell, you think I'm worried about getting grounded? I'm worried about them calling your mom and finding out about you." He slumped back into the chair and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the fear that twisted his stomach into knots.   
  
    "Ham, you honestly think I would have attempted this - and by this, I mean the past three years at Rawley - without the ability to access and delete my mother's messages?"   
  
    "I know that. I keep telling myself that. But there is some part of me that hurts at the thought that there is the slightest possibility you may get kicked out."   
  
    "Hey," she turned his face toward her, "I've survived there for three years, I'm not going to let anything stop me from completing the last one. Not even your dad."   
  
    That made him smile, her rebellious nature. "Thanks."   
  
    "For what?"   
  
    "Giving me a fun packed, roller coaster ride of a Spring Break."   
  
    "No problem. But I don't think we'll be having one again for a long, long time."   
  
    "No," Looking over Jake's shoulder, he saw his parents enter the hospital, "I don't think we will."   
  
    His father walked past them, into Scout's hospital room, no doubt to apologize for Hamilton. However his mother took the seat across from them, not meeting their worried stares.   
  
    "Mrs. Flemming...I'm really sorry about this. I didn't -"   
  
    She held her hand up to silence Jake, "Your mother has been called about this. Unfortunately, there is nothing the school can do as punishment, since this incident took place during Spring Break, so I left that up to her."   
  
    "I understand."   
  
    The three sat in silence, staring at the scuffed white tiles of the hospital floor.   
  
    Hamilton was about to speak when his father came out of the room, "Come on Hamilton, we're leaving. Now." He grabbed his son's sleeve as he pulled him toward the sliding doors.   
  
    "Yes, sir."   
  
    When they were out of hearing distance of the others, his father spoke to him, "You may want to rethink your choice of friends." It wasn't meant as a suggestion.   
  
    "Why would I want to do that?" Hamilton broke away from his grasp, "They are there for me when I need them, that's more than I can say about you."   
  
    "That's enough, Hamilton."   
  
    He turned and waved to the group, walking backward out the sliding doors, "See you guys later. Can't wait for next year's trip."   
  


* * *

_~A few days later~_

  
    Jake struggled to keep herself awake as she finished her homework. She lay on her bed, trying to concentrate on the book in front of her, but her thoughts kept drifting to Hamilton. He had been grounded for three weeks and ordered to stay away from Jake indefinitely...   
  
    The squeak of the floorboard woke Jake up. She must have dozed off at some point. Above her, hovered Hamilton. At first she thought it was a dream. Reaching up, she touched his cheek. It wasn't, he was real; he was standing beside her bed.   
  
    She sat up groggily and rubbed her eyes, "Hey. How did you get in?"   
  
    Smiling sheepishly, he dangled a copy of her key in front of her.   
  
    "How many of these things do you have?" grabbing the key, she tossed it into a dark corner of her room.   
  
    "Enough."   
  
    "Great. What are you doing here? Do your parents know you're here?"   
  
    "Yeah Jake, they let me out of the house at," he glanced at his watch, "2:09 in the morning, to see the one person who planned the entire scheme which resulted in my grounding."   
  
    "Okay, it early in the morning, don't expect my logic to make sense."   
  
    "This is for you." He held out a small black flip through the album, "They're pictures...from the trip. You told me to hide them well, so I though who better to do that than you."   
  
    He sat down on the bed next to her as she flipped through it.   
  
    The first was a picture of them in Scout's car on the way to Vermont. Will leaned in from the back seat to be in the shot. Jake's head was resting in Hamilton's lap as she read a book.   
  
    *A pillow in mid air as a sleepy Jake tossed it at the person waking her from slumber by taking a picture.*   
  
    *Everyone out to dinner at The Fountains the first night they arrived. They all leaned in to fit. Hamilton's arm was around Jake's shoulders.*   
  
    *The whole group at the base of the mountain, before they all split in different directions to go skiing.*   
  
    *Hamilton laying on his back in the snow. His eyes were closed as he rubbed his head.*   
  
    *Bella and Will surrounded by a mass of young children at their ski lessons. Bella was holding onto Will's shoulder as she tried to move. Will had almost fallen over, so in the picture he was tilted forward, laughing.*   
  
    *Hamilton and Jake at the breakfast table. She was turned away from the camera, kissing him. Her hand rested on his cheek and he had his arms circled her as she sat on his lap.*   
  
    *At their lunch date. Jake was looking toward the camera, but Hamilton was staring at her. Their hands were folded together on the table and they were both laughing at a joke the waiter had made while taking the picture.*   
  
    *All of them crowded around Scout in the hospital. They tried to smile, but no one was quite pulling it off. *   
  
    *Hamilton with the phone cord wrapped around his neck. His way of saying he would rather be hung than forced to call his parents and tell them the truth.*   
  
    *Jake and Hamilton sitting in the sticky orange hospital chairs outside of room 493. They were looking at each other in deep conversation. Jake's head was tilted to one side as she listened to Hamilton.*   
  
    *The silhouette of Hamilton's parents as they came from the blinding brightness of the outside world into the dull flourescent light of the hospital lobby.*   
  
    "I promised to capture your big wipe out on film..." he indicated the last picture.   
  
    "...And you always keep your promises. But how did you-?"   
  
    "Bella...she took it for me."   
  
    Closing the album, she looked at Hamilton. They sat in silence for a while until Hamilton felt the need to speak.   
  
    "Well, you said you didn't want another boring Spring Break alone."   
  
    "Hamilton?"   
  
    "Yeah?"   
  
    "Shut up."   
  
    Shaking his head, he looked out the window at his house in the foggy distance.   
  
    "And Hamilton..."   
  
    He moved his glance to her.   
  
    "...don't ever let me plan a vacation again."  



End file.
